Barcelona are six points clear at the top of LaLiga after substitute Pedri’s finish secured a 1-0 win at Girona.
Having come on in the first half for the injured Ousmane Dembele to make his 100th Barca appearance, Pedri notched the winner in the 61st minute after Jordi Alba’s cross came to the 20-year-old via goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.
Xavi’s men increase their advantage over second-placed Real Madrid ahead of Los Blancos hosting third-placed Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Barca later said Dembele had “strained the rectus femoris muscle in his left thigh.”
Sevilla are four points clear of the relegation zone following a 3-0 victory at home against 10-man, rock-bottom Elche.
Youssef En-Nesyri opened the scoring in the 29th minute before the visitors had Pedro Bigas sent off in the 41st minute. Marcos Acuna and En-Nesyri then swiftly added further goals to all but wrap up the win before half-time.
Cadiz moved out of the bottom three with a 2-0 win over Mallorca that saw Theo Bongonda and Alex Fernandez, with a penalty, score in the first half, and a late Borja Iglesias spot-kick sealed Real Betis a 1-0 win at Getafe, who are above the drop zone on goal difference.
In the Bundesliga, leaders Bayern Munich drew 1-1 for a third successive game as they were held by Eintracht Frankfurt at the Allianz Arena.
Leroy Sane’s opener was cancelled out after the break by Randal Kolo Muani to leave Bayern with a one-point lead over second-placed Union Berlin, who won 2-0 at Hertha Berlin with Danilho Doekhi and Paul Seguin getting the goals.
Hertha, who are 17th in the table and have lost six of their last seven games, announced after the derby defeat that they had parted company with sporting director Fredi Bobic with immediate effect.
Freiburg are up to fourth following a 3-1 home win over Augsburg, Jonas Hofmann scored twice as Borussia Monchengladbach won 4-1 at Hoffenheim, a brace from Niclas Fullkrug secured Werder Bremen a 2-1 home victory over Wolfsburg, and there was a hat-trick for Karim Onisiwo in Mainz’s 5-2 thumping of Bochum.
In Serie A, second-placed Inter Milan came from behind to win 2-1 at bottom side Cremonese.
David Okereke put the hosts in front before a Lautaro Martinez double turned things around for Inter, who are 10 points behind leaders Napoli, hosts to Roma on Sunday.
Atalanta beat struggling Sampdoria 2-0 at home, and Torino scored twice late on to grab a 2-2 draw at Empoli.
In Ligue 1, second-placed Lens grabbed a 1-1 draw at Troyes thanks to Adrien Thomasson’s late equaliser, leaving them a point behind Paris St Germain, who entertain Reims on Sunday.
Marseille and Monaco, third and fourth respectively, also played out a 1-1 draw at the Stade Velodrome, with OM midfielder Jordan Veretout’s own goal being cancelled out by Alexis Sanchez.
